Control mechanism for automatically-operated doors



April 21, 1931. HU STQN CONTROL MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPERATEDDOORS Filed Dec. 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l/YVE/YTOR JACK HUSTON April21, 1931. J HUSTQN 1,801,863

' CONTROL MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED DOORS Filed Dec. 16, 19292 Sheets-She s! 2 array/vs Patented Apr. 21, 193i PATENT OFFICE JACKHUSTON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA CONTROL MECHANISM FORAUTOMATICALLY- OPERATED DOORS Application filed December 16,1929. SerialNo. 414,510.

My invention relates to improvements in control mechanism forautomatically operated garage doors and the like wherein a controlswitch, electrically connected to door operating mechanism, is mountedupon an arm movable from a normal inoperative receded position to anoutwardly extending position to move the switch to a point accessible tothe driver of avehicle approaching 10 the door, wherebyvsaid driver mayoperate the switch and cause the door to be opened without leaving thedrivers seat of the vehicle.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcontrol mechanism for automatically operated doors.

Another object is to provide an improved device of the characterdescribed wherein a control switch is normally heldin an inoperativeposition, and is automatically released for movement to an operativeposition accessible to the driver by a vehicle approaching a garage doorto be opened. 7

A further object is to provide an improved switch mounting arm movablefrom a normal inoperative position within awall, to an outwardlyextending operative position, to permit the switch to beoperated at apoint spaced in front of a garage door to energize 3o door operatingmechanism, the arm being automatically returned to normal position whenthe door is moved to a closed position.

Another object is toprovide an improved control switch mounting whereinthe switch is normally receded into the wall of a garage in a positioninaccessible to intruders, the switch beingautomatically released andextended to operative position when a vehicle is moved to a properposition in front of the door of the garage.

A still further object is to provide an improved mechanism which issimple, positive, and efficient in its operation and which willfacilitate the opening and closing of garage doors.

I accomplish these and other objects by means of the improved devicedisclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present applicationwherein like characters of refpair of garage doors and power driven op-A crating mechanism therefor, and including a conventionalwiring diagramof the electrical connections;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device as viewed from the inside of thegarage;

Fi 3 is a vertical section showing the arrangement and operation of myimproved control means; r

Fig. 4 is abroken side elevation, partly in section, of the control armas mounted within its guide member, the figure being drawn upon a largerscale;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional detail of the arm and actuating meanstaken upon the ling:1 55 of Fig.4 in the direction indicated; an

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of the outer end of, the control arm andshowingthe control switch thereon. V

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate in generala pair of ga- Tags doors hingedly mounted within a door opening formedin a wall 2 of a garage.

The doors 1 are provided with power driven operating mechanism foropening and closing said doors. For purpose of illustration, I haveillustrated door operating mechanism of the form and arrangementdisclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 85 407,635, filedNovember 16, 1929. This operating mechanism consists briefly of a motor3 provided with a driving gear 4 meshing with pinions 6 rotatablymounted upon a shaft 7. A worm 8 secured n 3011 the shaft 7 meshes witha worm gear 9. onnecting links 11 are pivotally connected at one end todiametrically opposite points of the gear 9 and at their opposite endsto door operating levers 12 secured to the doors. A clutch member 14:,feathered upon the shaft 7 between the pinions 6, is movable to engageclutch members formed upon said pinions 6, whereby the shaft 7 may bedriven in either direction by the gear 4 to move the doors to open orclosed 9 tacts 19 and 20.

positions as desired, the clutch member being automatically shifted toengage the opposite pinion 6 when the doors reach either extremeposition. The gear 9 is provided with a circuit breaking contact plate15 operative to automatically break the circuit to the motor 3 when thedoors reach either extreme position, thereby stopping the operation ofthe door operating mechanism until the circuit is again closed throughcontrol switches operative to close the circuit and energize the motorand move the doors in the opposite direction.

The electric circuit comprises a pair of main leads 16 and 17, connectedto a suitable source of electrical energy. The lead 16 is connected toone side of the motor 8 while the other lead 17 is connected to a switcharm 18 movable to engage either oi a. pair of con- The contact 19 iselectrically connected to one of a pair of contacts 22 by a connection19 while the contact 20 is connected to one of a pair of contacts 21 bya connection 20. The opposite contacts of the pairs 21 and 22 areconnected to the opposite terminal or" the motor 3, connection beingclosed alternately between the pairs of contacts 21 and 22 by means ofthe contact plate 15 as the circuit is broken between the opposite pairor" contacts. Suitable elcctromagnet coils 23 are arranged to beenergized when a circuitis closed at either contact 19 or 20 to hold thearm 18 in circuit closing position until the circuit is broken at theplate 15 and contacts 21 or 22. The control switch 18 is mounted at anyconvenient location within the garage.

As the specific structure and operation of the door operating mechanismis fully disclosed in the co-pending application above referred to, afurther detailed description of this mechanism is unnecessary.

The present invention directed to the provision of mechanism whereby thedoor operating mechanism may be controlled and operated from the pointoutside of the garage by the driver of a vehicle approaching the doorswithout necessitating that said driver leave the drivers seat.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention as disclosed in thedrawings, 1 provide a control arm 26 mounted adjacent the door 1 andmovable from a normally receded inoperative position to an outwardlyextending operative position. The arm 26 consists preferably of atubular member slidably mov able through a guide member 27 mountedtransversely through the wall 2 at a point adjacent the top and one sideof the door 1. The guide member 27 is preferably arranged at an angleinclining downwardly toward the outer end thereof. The inner end extendsinwardly into the garage to provide a substantial bearing for the arm26. The arm 26 is preferably provided with anti-friction rollers 28whereby the arm will nor mally be moved by gravity to move outwardlythrough the guide member 27 to its operative outwardly extendingposition as shown in full lines in Fig. 3 or the drawings. A weight 25)is suspended upon a cord 31 having one end connected to afixed support32 and the opposite end connected over a suitable pulley 33 secured uponthe inner end of the guide member 27 to the inner end of the arm 26 tocooperate with gravity in moving the arm to its outwardly extendingposition. The cord 31 may comprise the electrical conductors extendingto the arm 26,

hereinafter more fully described.

A control switch is mounted upon the outer end of the arm 26, saidswitch consisting of a switch arm 34 pivotally mounted at one endthereof and movable to engage either of a. pair of contacts 36 and 37mounted adjacent thereto. The contacts 36 and 37 are connected inparallel with the contacts 19 and 20 respectively by suitableconnections 38 and 39 extending through the arm and connected to theconnections 19 and 20 respectively, said connections 38 and 39 beingflexible and of suiticient length to accommodate the movemcnt of the arm26 between its extreme positions. Electro-n'iagnet coils 41 are mountedupon opposite sides of the switch arm 34 and connected to theconnections 38 and 39 in such manner as to be energized. when a currentis passed through the respective connection to attract and hold theswitch arm in circuit closing relation with the respective contacts 36and 37. A conductor 42 is connected to the arm 34 and to the main lead17 The arm 26 is normally held in its inwardly receded position by meansof a latch 43 slidably mounted for movement through an opening 44 in.the guide member 27 to engage an opening 46 in the arm 26, the latch 48being held in a normal locking position by means of a spring 47 Thelatch 43 is positioned upon the inside of the garage and is operated bymeans of a rod 48 connected at one end to said latch and at its lowerend to one arm of a bell crank 49 pivotally mounted at the approximatelevel of the floor of the garage. The other arm of the crank 49 isengaged by a rod 51 extending longitudinally through a tubular guide 52mounted within the floor of the garage and extending to a point spacedoutwardly in front of the door 1. A trip member 53 is pivotally mountedsubstantially within the plane of the approach to the garage. saidmember having a body portion normally inclining slightly upwardly abovesaid plane to be engaged and depressed by a wheel 54 of a vehicle 56.The member 53 is provided with a downwardly disposed extension 57engaging the forward end of the rod 51 to move said rod inwardly andthereby actuate the crank 49 when the body portion of the member 53 isdepressed by the wheel 54. A suitable spring resiliently holds the crank49, rod 51 and member 53 in normal operative position.

The arm 26 is moved from extended operative position to its recededinoperative position preferably by means of a gear 58 meshing with arack 60 carried by the arm 26. The gear 58 is secured upon a shaft 59arranged in axial alinement with the shaft 7 with the adjacent end ofthe shaft 59 slightly spaced from the end of the shaft 7. A clutchmember 61 is feathered on the end of the shaft 7 and arranged to bemoved into driving engagement with a clutch member 62 secured upon theadjacent end of the shaft 59. The member 61 is actuated by means of ayoke 63 connected to and acting in common with the clutch 14, saidmember 61 being moved into driving engagement with the clutch member 26when the clutch 14 is moved into engagement with the pinion .6 operativeto move the doors in a door closing direction.

In operation, the arm 26 is normally held in its receded inoperativeposition by the latch 43. When a vehicle 56 approaches the closed doorsof the garage, the trip member 53 is engaged by the wheel 54 anddepressed to actuate the crank 49 and thereby move the latch 43 torelease the arm. Gravity, assisted by the weight 29, causes the arm 26to move outwardly through the guide member 27 to its'outwardly extendingoperative position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings,the end of said arm moving to a position conveniently accessible to thedriver of the vehicle without leaving his seat in the drivers position.The control switch 34 is thereby moved to a position whereby it may beoperated by the driver to close the circuit through the motor 3 andthereby energize the operating mechanism to open the door. This is doneby moving the arm 34 to engage the door opening contact 36, eithermanually or by a suitable key operated mechanism of any conventionalform not illustrated.

. When the arm 34 engages the contact 36, a

circuit is completed through the connections 38 and 19 to the contacts22,"said contacts being bridged by the contact plate 15 and completing acircuit through the motor whereby the operating mechanism is actuated toopen the doors. The circuit flowing through the connection 38 energizesthe mag net 41 to hold the arm 34 in engagement with the contact 36. Assoon as the doors reach the extreme open position, the plate 15 movesout of contact with the contacts 22, thereby breaking the circuit andcausing the arm 34 to be released, and at the same time stopping themotor 3. As the doors reach their ex.- treme open position, the clutch14 is automatically shifted to engage the opposite pinion 6 so that whenthe motor 3 is again energized, the operating mechanism will cause thedoors to be closed. The clutch 61, being actuated by the yoke 63 whichin turn is actuated by the clutch 14, is thus moved to engage the clutch62 so that when the shaft 7 is rotated to close the doors, the shaft 59will i be correspondingl rotated.

To close the doors 1 the circuit is closed through either the switch 18or the switch 34 by moving either switch to engage the closing contacts20 or 37 respectively. When the circuit is thus closed the motor 1 isenergized through the connection 20' and operates to move the doors tothe closed position.

At the same time, the shaft 59 is driven by the clutch 61 and operatesthrough the gear 58 and rack 60 to move the arm 26 inwardly to itsreceded inoperative position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Thelatch 43 engages the arm 26 as it reaches its extreme receded positionand operates to retain said arm until again released by driving avehicle into engagement with the trip member 53. The switch 34 iscarried by the arm 26 into the end of theguide member 27 so that theswitch is fully enclosed and protected, and

held in a position such that it can not be the closing contact 37 by anoccupant of the,

vehicle without leaving the vehicle, the arm being again moved to itsreceded position as the doors are closed.

While I have illustrated my invention in connection with only one typeof door operating mechanism, the control arm and its associated elementsmay of course be adapted for use in connection with door operatingmechanism of various other structures and arrangement. Furthermore, thespecific structure and arrangement of the control arm and the actuatingand releasing mechanism therefor may also be modified in a great manyways without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore donot wish to restrict myself to the specific details of Com struction andarrangement illustrated and described, but desire to avail myself of allmodifications which may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1., The combination with a garage door and power actuated operatingmechanism mounted in connection with said door for opening and closingthe same, of an arm mounted adjacent the door, said arm being movable toan extended position projecting outwardly from the door; and controlmeans mount-ed upon said arm and connected to the operating mechanism toenergize the same, said control means being moved by the arm to aposition accessible to the driver of a vehicle approaching said door.

2. The combination with a garage door and power actuated operatingmechanism mounted in connection with said door for opening and closingthe same, of an arm mounted adjacent the door, said arm being movable toan extended position projecting outwardly from the door; control meansmounted upon said arm and connected to the operating mechanism toenergize the same, said control means being moved by the arm to aposition accessible to the driver of a vehicle approaching said door;and means actuated by the approaching vehicle for releasing said arm formovement to its extended position.

3. The combination with a garage door and power actuated operatingmechanism mounted in connection with said door for opening and closingthe same, of an arm mounted adjacent the door, said arm being movablefrom a normal inoperative position to an extended operative position;retaining means normally securing the arm in inoperative position andmeans mounted in spaced relation to the outer side of the door andconnected to the releasing means and arranged to be engaged and actuatedby a vehicle approaching the door for moving said retaining means torelease the arm to operative position; and control means mounted uponsaid arm and connected to the operating mechanism to energize the same,said control means being moved by the arm to a position accessible tothe driver of the Vehicle from the drivers position.

l. The combination with a garage door and power actuated operatingmechanism mounted in connection with said door for opening and closingthe same, of an arm mounted adjacent the door, said arm being normallyheld in an inoperative position and being movable to an outwardlyextending operative position; means actuated by a vehi le approachingthe door for releasing the arm to extended position; control meansmounted upon the arm and connected to the operating mechanism toenergize the same to open the door, said control means being moved bythe arm to a position accessible to the driver of the approachingvehicle from the drivers seat; and means connected to the arm andoperating mechanism and actuated by the door perating mechanism whenoperated to close the door for moving the arm to its normal inoperativeposition.

.5. The combination with a garage door and power actuated operatingmechanism mounted in connection with said door for opening and closingthe same, of an arm mounted adjacent the door; means normally holdingthe arm in an inoperative position; means actuated by a vehicleapproaching the door for releasing said arm from normal position meansfor moving the arm to an outwardly extending operative position whenreleased; control mechanism mounted upon the arm and connected to theoperating mechanism to energize the same; arm actuating means mount-- edadjacent the door operating mechanism and connected to the arm; andmeans automatically connecting the door operating mechanism to the armactuating means to move the arm to its normal position when theoperating mechanism is energized to close the door.

(3. The combination with a garage door and electrically driven operatingmechanism mounted in connection with the door for opening and closingthe same, of an arm mounted adjacent the door; means normally holdingthe arm in an inoperative position; means actuated by a vehicleapproaching the door for releasing said arm from normal position; meanscooperating with gravity for moving the arm to an outwardly extendingoperative position when released; circuit control means mounted upon thearm and electrically connected to the electric driving means of the dooroperating mechanism, said circuit control means normally breaking thecircuit to said driving means and being movable to close said circuit toenergize said driving means, said control means being moved by the armto a position accessible to the driver of the vehicle from the driversseat; and means actuated by the door operating mechanism when operatedto close the door for moving the arm to its normal inoperative position.

7. The combination with a garage door and power actuated operatingmechanism mounted in connection with said door for opening and closingthe same, of an arm mounted adj acent the door; means normally holdingthe arm in an inoperative position; means actuated by a vehicleapproaching the door for releasing said arm from normal position; meanscooperating with gravity for moving the arm to an outwardly extendingoperative position when released; control mechanism mounted upon the armand connected to the operating mechanism to energize the same, saidcontrol mechanism being moved by the arm to a position accessible to thedriver of the vehicle from the drivers seat; an arm actuating shaftmounted adjacent the arm; gear means connecting said shaft with the arm;and clutch means automatically moved and operated by the door operatingmechanism to engage and actuate the shaft to move the arm to normalposition when the door operating mechanism is operated to close thedoor. I V 1 8. The combination with a garage door and electricallycontrolled power actuated operating mechanism mounted in connection withthe door for'opening and closing the same, of a tubular arm slidablymounted at one side of the door; means normally holding the arm in aninoperative receded position means for releasing said. arm; means formoving the :arm outwardly to an extended position; control means mountedupon the outer end of the arm connected through said arm to theoperating mechanism to energize the same, said means being moved by thearm' to a position accessible to the driver of a vehicle approaching thedoor. I

9. The combination with a garage door and electrically controlled poweractuated operating mechanism mounted in connection with the door foropening and closing the same, of a tubular arm mounted transverselythrough a wall adjacent the door and slidably movable between extremeinwardly and outwardly extending positions; means normally holding thearm in its extreme inwardly extending position; means actuated by avehicle approaching the door for releasing the arm; means cooperatingwith gravity for moving the arm to its extreme outwardly extendingposition when released; electrical control means mounted upon the outerend of the arm and connected through said arm to the operating mechanismto normally break an electrical circuit thereto, said control meansbeing moved by the arm to a position accessible to the driver of thevehicle and being operable to close the circuit to energize theoperating mechanism.

10. The combination with a garage door and electrically controlled poweractuated operating mechanism mounted in connection with the door foropening and closing the same, of a tubular arm mounted transverselythrough a wall adjacent the door and slidably movable between extremeinwardly and outwardly extending positions; means normally holding thearm in its extreme inwardly extending position; means actuated by avehicle approaching the door for releasing the arm; means cooperatingwith gravity for moving the arm to its extreme outwardly extendingposition when released; electrical control means mounted upon the outerend of the arm and connected through said arm to the operating mechanismto normally break an electrical circuit thereto, said control meansbeing moved by the arm to a position accessible to the driver of thevehicle and being operable to close the circuit to energize theoperating mechanism; and means actuated by the door operating mechanismwhen energized to close the door for automatically moving the arm to itsextreme receded position.

for moving the retaining means to release the arm for movement to itsextreme outwardly extending position; electrical control means mountedupon the outer end of the arm and connected to the operating mechanismto normally break an electric circuit thereto, said; 2

control means being moved by the arm to a position accessible to thedriver of the vehicle and being operable to close the circuit toenergize the operating mechanism.

12. The combination with a garage door and electrically controlled poweractuated operating mechanism mountedin connection with the door foropening and closing the same of a guide member mounted transverselythrough a wall at one side of the door and downwardly inclined towardthe outer side of the wall and door; an arm slidably mounted wit lnn theguide member and axially movable thcrethrough between extreme inwardlyand outwardly extending positions;- retaining means normally holding thearm in an extreme inwardly projecting position;

means actuated by a vehicle approaching the door for moving theretaining means to release the arm for movement to its extreme outwardlyextending position; electrical control means mounted upon the outerendof the arm and connected to the operating mechanism to normally breakan electric circuit thereto, said control means being moved by the armto a position accessible to the driver of the vehicle and being operableto close the circuit to energize the operating. mechanism; and meansactuated by the door operating mechanism when actuated to close the doorfor automatically moving the arm to its extreme inwardly extendingposition.

13. The combination with'a garage door and electrically controlled poweractuated operating mechanism mounted in connection with the door foropening and closing the same of a guidemember mounted transverselythrough a wall at one side of the door and inclined downwardly towardthe outer side of said wall and door; an arm slidably mounted within theguide and axially movable therethrough between extreme inwardly andoutwardly extending positions; a latch. normally engaging the arm tohold said M1 in its inwardly extending position; a

trip mounted in outwardly spaced relation to the door to be engaged andmoved by a vehicle approaching the door; means connecting the trip withthe latch for moving the latch to release the arm when the trip isengaged by a vehicle; and circuit control means mounted upon the outerend of the arm and electrically connected with the operating mechanismand normally breaking the circuit thereto, said means being moved by thearm to a position accessible to the driver of the vehicle and beingoperable to close the circuit to energize the operating mechanism toopen the door.

14. The combination with a garage door and electrically controlled poweractuated operating mechanism mounted in connection with the door foropening and closing the same, of a guide member mounted transverselythrough a wall at one side of the door and inclined downwardly towardthe outer side of said wall and door; an arm slidably mounted within theguide and axially movable therethrough between extreme inwardly andoutwardly extending positions; a latch normally engaging the arm to holdsaid arm in its inwardly extending position; a trip mounted in outwardlyspaced relation to the door to be engaged and moved by a vehicleapproaching the door; means connecting the trip with the latch formoving the latch to release the arm when the trip is engaged by avehicle; circuit control means mounted upon the outer end of the arm andelectrically connected with the operating mechanism and normallybreaking the circuit thereto, said means being moved by the arm to aposition accessible to the driver of the vehicle and being operable toclose the circuit to energize the operating mechanism to open the door;and means actuated by the door operating mechanism when actuated toclose the door for automatically moving the arm to its extreme inwardlyextending position.

15. The combination with a garage door and electrically controlled poweractuated operating mechanism mounted in connection with the door foropening and closing the same, of a guide member mounted transverselythrough a wall at one side of the door and inclined downwardly towardthe outer side of said wall and door; an arm slidably mounted within theguide and axially movable therethrough between extreme inwardly andoutwardly extending positions; a latch normally engaging the arm to holdsaid arm in its inwardly extending position; a trip mounted in outwardlyspaced relation to the door to be engaged and moved by a vehicleapproaching the door; means connecting the trip with the latch formoving the latch to release the arm when the trip is engaged by avehicle; circuit control means mounted upon the outer end of the arm andelectrically connected with the operating mechanism and normallybreaking the circuit thereto, said means being moved by the arm to aposition accessible to the driver of the vehicle and being operable toclose the circuit to energize the operating mechanism to open the door;an arm actuating shaft mounted adjacent the door operating mechanism;means connecting the shaft to the arm, said means being operable to movethe arm axially through the guide member; and a clutch actuated by thedoor operating mechanism to engage and actuate the shaft when the dooroperating mechanism is moved to close the door.

In witness whereof, I hereunto set my signature.

JACK HUSTON.

